Urban System in America-Chapter 255 - 254: Stanton Greaves

As the music shifted into another waltz, Monica’s gaze drifted beyond Rex’s shoulder. Her smile wavered for just a fraction of a second, almost unnoticeably. "Tch... figures," she muttered under her breath.

Rex caught the subtle change in her expression. "What’s wrong?" he asked softly, still moving with her in rhythm.

She tilted her head ever so slightly toward a dark corner of the ballroom. "See that man over there? The one with the glass in his hand? His name is Stanton Greaves. He’s the one who’s been pursuing me like a rabid dog these past few weeks. I’ve turned him down more times than I can count, but he doesn’t seem to understand what ’no’ means. Excluding the minor pests, he’s the real problem." Her tone was calm, but there was an edge to it, a quiet frustration.

Rex followed her gaze and, for a moment, was genuinely stunned—not by admiration, but by sheer disbelief. The man in question was... well, Rex couldn’t find a nice word to describe him. His thinning, receding hairline glistened under the chandelier light, catching the light like a sad spotlight. The sheen on his receding hairline only added to the image of someone who thought money could substitute for charm. His skin was slick and shiny, almost greasy like it had been basted in oil, and his stomach bulged so badly that not even the expensive suit could hide it.

Rex blinked once, then twice, and finally muttered under his breath, "Seriously? How the hell does he even have the confidence to stand next to you, let alone pursue you?"

"He’s the definition of fat and ugly. Actually, calling him ugly might be doing a disservice to ugly people everywhere."

Monica’s lips curled into a soft laugh, the sound easing some of the tension in her shoulders. "I’ll take that as a compliment," she said, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"I mean it," Rex said, shaking his head in mock disbelief. "If looks could kill, that guy’s face would’ve caused a mass exodus already."

He continued, with a small smirk. "I’m just saying, if that guy’s from one of those inbred old-money families, it explains a lot."

Monica stifled another laugh, but her hand tightened around his arm, a subtle sign of the unease she still felt. "You’re terrible," she whispered, though the corners of her lips curved upward despite herself.

Meanwhile, in that shadowy corner, the man’s face darkened. His eyes were fixed on them like daggers, and the sight of Monica laughing at another man’s words made his jaw tighten to the point of trembling.

Monica noticed this subtle exchange, and her amusement dimmed. "He’s not the type to give up easily," she murmured under her breath, her tone low enough that only Rex could hear. "We should be careful."

Rex’s smirk widened into something sharper, almost amused. "Good thing I’m not easily scared," he said casually, leaning closer as if they were just exchanging sweet nothings. "Besides, I’d like to see him try."

Her smirk widened just a little. For a second, it almost felt like the tension lifted, but her eyes remained hard, tracking every movement the man made.

Monica’s eyes lingered on the man in the corner, her expression turning icy. "I think that’s him," she said quietly, her tone laced with both contempt and unease. "The one I suspect is behind all of this."

Rex glanced at the man again, his brows furrowing. "You know something about him?"

She gave a dry, humorless laugh. "Unfortunately, yes. He’s from an old-money family in New York. Got stationed here to ’take care of business,’ but all he really does is throw his weight around. He’s got his hands in a lot of things... and a lot of influence in L.A. I even heard he’s a donor at UCLA."

Rex raised an eyebrow at that. UCLA? That hit closer to home than he expected. "Huh," he muttered under his breath, a spark of curiosity lighting up his eyes.

Monica, unaware of his thoughts, continued, her voice tightening. "I’ve heard stories about him; about the actresses he’s ruined. He’s a predator, Rex. And he only targets the rising ones, the ones who haven’t secured their footing yet. He doesn’t dare touch the big names, the ones with powerhouse agencies and scary backers who’d eat him alive for trying. No, he goes after the helpless ones, the girls from small agencies who can’t fight back... or the ones who get sold out by their own people."

She paused, her lips twisting in a bitter smile that didn’t reach her eyes. "Just like me."

There was a silence, broken only by the distant hum of the orchestra. There was no fake bravado here, no "diva" act. For once, she looked like a real person beneath all that polish, someone hurt, someone betrayed, someone cornered.

He tightened his grip around her waist, firm but reassuring. "Hey," he said softly, his tone unusually gentle. "Whatever happened, it’s done. You’re okay now. "You’re still here. You’re still standing. That means they didn’t win. And they won’t. That’s what matters."

Monica’s lashes fluttered as she blinked, caught off guard by the calm certainty in his tone.

She looked at him, surprised at how calmly he said it, like it was the simplest truth in the world.

"And honestly," Rex continued, his gaze steady, "it’s better this way. better now than later. It’s good you found out who your agency’s CEO and agent really are, before it’s too late. Imagine if they decided to stab you in the back when you’re at your peak, when you’ve got everything to lose. At least now, you can see their true colors while there’s still time to cut ties."

Monica swallowed hard, her chest tightening. Her mind flashed to the smiling faces of her agency’s CEO and her agent; people she once thought were her pillars. The betrayal cut deep, but Rex’s words were like a thread, pulling her out of the spiral.

For a moment, she felt the sting of tears press at the back of her eyes, but she quickly forced them down. She wasn’t going to cry here, not in front of all these people, not when those men were still watching her like vultures. She took a shaky breath and whispered, "You’re right... I guess I should be glad I saw the snakes hiding in my own nest early."

Rex tilted his head, giving her a lopsided grin. "Exactly. Take it as a blessing in disguise. Now, you know who you can trust, and who needs to be shown the door."

(End of Chapter)